Andrea RainCloud, Spiritual Kuraka. Extracts from the interview for the radio, program “Despierta Miami.”

...And with what image or vision we enter the world of this ritual dance of the night, of the stars, Kulla Raymi, feast of the ancestors?

I would say let us begin at our center. So, on the path of the Tree of Life, which is the center of our dancing altars, we can also go in the direction down to its root and find in this sacred darkness an infinite refuge of knowledge, connecting with the ancient altars that are in our territories under the earth and them connecting with the temples that reside in the four directions of our time and space. We dance to the sun, but of course, also to the moon, to the energy that sustains everything in the universe, the darkness, the nothingness that brings everything together; and it is thus, the two directions of our tree and the knowledge of our altars that balance and harmonize humanity. The beauty of the night, of the light of the night, of the meeting of all worlds. What would be the purpose of this rite or altar from your work as Kuraka and medicine woman, connector of worlds?

...spiritually it would be to open the sacred portal in honor of the fullness of life and the great mystery. We have to fulfill this on our part, to allow and do everything to take care of this space and possibility. There are many preparations, and most of them in silence and years of offering to be able to take care and present a prayer that has been lost with time and that is for the community and its spiritual, mental and physical well being. It is necessary to offer to the spirit of fire, to the reflection and the creative dream, to that central star of our time, of our altar, that ancestor that knows of all times, of all languages, and that in its energy will allow us, in our experience, to dance with the spirits of our dead, of our animals, of our past and future times.

Together! In this great circle guided by fun, by the sacred joy of being alive and that our body is an instrument of the great spirit and moves us in function of the universe, of consciousness, of the great creator, of mother darkness, of the sacred death that allows us to live. Some say it is the order of chaos, the ancient order, the movement of life before the rotation of the earth; that is also our dance. It is a great feast, that is for sure, and to gather all of us, to generate that quantity and quality of energies so that in resonance the worlds come together and dancing sows light and peace in the path of all is a great purpose.

Art, you were saying, art for the spirit... training in arts such as dance and painting, dance and prayer, that is what you mentioned about the Kurakas and their disciplines. That's right, these stellar dances are part of the ancient sacred arts, of the rites that allow us to cultivate the sciences of the spirit in their purest expression in honor of the great mystery and mortality. To make of our life an art in the time of the altar, in the steps, in the coordination, to find the eternal rhythm and to enter into that vibration. The drum gallops, it allows us to travel and its songs open energies for the perfumers and healing spirits that come to give us their blessing in ceremonies like this one.

This dance, in reality, is a great possibility because it is a prayer of powerful magnitude in all senses and, above all, a great experience, a day, a night worthy of giving everything because we will receive in joy and gratitude our reward that will last throughout the year.

Where do you dance, in what space or what is it like?

We dance on a kind of “arena”, our great sacred circle, at the gates of the forest and below the level of the branches of our tree of life. The sacred rhythms and voices in the wind will open that door to go into the medicine and around the sky on earth, in our Chaka Hana, design of our altar and projection of the constellation of the southern cross. So then, call and summon our ancestors thanking their experiences and enjoying in honor of their time, celebrating ours ... and how ....

Who is the Diablo Uma, what is this spirit doing in the dance?

Our sacred devil, luminous! Ha! Leader of the dances of the sun and the night, finally he is the reflection of the sun our moon, and it is his territory. He lives on the edge and is a very, very old deity. Yes, it is something unique in this Andean festival to find a sacred millenary being respected by all. No one better than him to give everything for life and death. His heart guides, his energy changes and heals the path of all those who dance with him in harmony and good rhythm.

The Diablo Uma, entity and sacred leader of great knowledge, of lunar and stellar energy, with moons as horns and a four-sided mask that reminds us that he sees from all perspectives. Much could be said about this leader and spirit, but it is important to mention that he guides the fate of the community and that his energy helps us to change our course.

He is an expert in the art of dance and the discipline of fun. As an Andean deity, he confronts us, he is controversial, and through his knowledge he will be able to mock the seriousness of our problems and mentalities, giving profound teachings in his ironic way of meeting you.

What offerings or payments are made?

We offer all our energy, movement, thought, also gifts to our ancestors such as sweets and earthly delights, salt, liquor and exotic fruits, perfumes, incense, good tobacco; our design honors the deities of the night, the time of the great creator who, weaving, has allowed us to exist, the worlds below and above where we are that are accessible on that night so that, praying and dancing, we celebrate the welfare and connection between the earthly and spiritual world. Humanity has always celebrated this rite of passage, of renewal, of growth, of deep connection with our esoteric and traditional nature of our lineage.

The offering is placed all night long on the altar and until morning. There are personal and unseen offerings, buried offerings that connect our lunar and solar altars. The fire rises and spreads its strength as the offerings are given... we give the best, the most beautiful, the best quality, it is a payment, a gift, a thank you and it must give the best nourishment and medicine for life and prayer, so that all this will last.

This ceremonial is an act of veneration towards the mysteries of the cosmos and the wisdom of the ancestors. In addition, we are recovering the tradition of dancing to our ancestor, of offering and balancing life, death, destiny and thanking all the worlds and all that exists.

Life and death always present in the ancient rites of native peoples... This festival pays tribute to life and death simultaneously, just as the tree of life shines in its branches by the sun, those roots that grow in the opposite direction to the sun shine in the depth of the black of the earth; the wealth and wisdom of the ancient peoples are these spiritual practices that open the doors to the ethereal, allowing all participants a moment of communion between the visible and the invisible, between the tangible and the mystical. This experience is vital for the path, health and learning of Sumak Kawsay, for those who want to approach this knowledge and way of life.

...it seems to me to hear stories of these times, of these dances; it seems that they have always happened... our families have been part of all this... I hope that in the times to come stories of this dance will be told, of course, of the dance on the volcano, in the darkness of the Andean night, next to the forest with our close family, talking about how the souls of the living and the dead danced together, reminding them of their connection with the cosmos and with all beings that inhabit it. It is a good legacy, a good purpose to want to rescue in deep respect the Tradition and ceremony of transformation where the past merges with the present and the future is glimpsed in the eternal dance of existence. Thus, the Star Dance, our Kulla Raymi, will continue to resonate in the hearts of those who have had the privilege of experiencing its magic, reminding them that, in the union of the human and the divine, lies the true essence of life.

“We summoned the origin to be able to dance in the mantle of time; our steps echoed and awoke the memory of their faces, their perfumes, of the good party, the great incantation of good living...”